1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an article handling device and more particularly to a basket for handling machine parts.
1. Description of the Prior Art
Baskets of the character described herein generally consist of a conventional outer body and an internal block forming a rack for separation and support of the machine parts in a manner for holding them in place and preventing them from striking one another. They are particularly applicable to the handling of delicate parts such as gears in machine shops, which preferably should be held in a vertical orientation so as to take up as little space as possible in the basket, which will then accept the largest possible number.
Various embodiments of the internal block for such baskets are known, such as, for example, they are made of wood, with assembly being achieved by nailing or gluing, and thus they are difficult to modify. The base material of wood also makes these assemblies heavy and cumbersome, and in addition, being made by skilled labor, they are relatively expensive, while deteriorating rather rapidly.
Also known are embodiments composed of steel sheets or wires, of diverse and suitable forms, which may be assembled by riveting or soldering, and which thus also are difficult to modify. These also are heavy and their surfaces must be protected against rusting. They have the same disadvantages as wooden blocks with respect to cost, and further, the hardness of the metal presents the risk of damage to delicate features of the machine parts, such as to sharp corners thereon.
On the other hand, there are known embodiments formed of plastic material which are molded in one piece and which do not have these same disadvantages, but because of their multiple internal partitions, they require complex molding equipment, are thus of delicate construction, and consequently are rather costly. They can solve the problem of proximity of the parts. However, their one-piece design forces their complete replacement if any one of their elements is damaged by a blow or by the insertion of a part that is still hot.